 Fruits Fields for Windows version 2.01 (shareware release)

Copyright 1995 by Leslie Tsang. All rights reserved.

Designed and Programmed using Borland Delphi.

A Hong Kong product. Dated: 20-Jul-1995.

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Shareware Notice and Registration

What is Fruits Fields?

Files and Customizations

Game Materials

Requirements and Features

Installation and Running

Playing the Game

The Game Interface

Setting Game Options

Game Objects and Rules

Miscellaneous

Trouble Shooting

Words from the Author

Registration Form


Introduction to Fruits Fields
Introduction

Thanks for your time looking at Fruits Fields for Windows (here after Fruits Fields) version 2.01. This is the first shareware game ever released in Hong Kong written in Borland Delphi, and is also my first shareware product written with this language.

Have you ever heard Fruits Fields version 1.0? It was released 3 years ago back in 1992. At that time, there were not as many tools available as today. Though I was just started to learn Windows programming using Turbo Pascal for Windows, I already had an idea in mind and wanted to create a game of my own. After studying some books and trying to program, I had gained a bit progress each time. Finally, I was able to implement my ideas into a program, and was able to release a very primitive Windows game that works (though with some bugs), that was Fruits Fields version 1.0. At that time, the game is just a very basic Windows program, though it features my unique 'Dynamic Resizeable Window ' (the game window can be resized to any size during play and the graphics will resize accordingly), and can be controlled by keyboard and mouse, it lacks some attractive things that every game needs, such as Music, Sound, Game saving ...those fantastic features.

Today, it is 1995, and there are many more new development tools available, and one of the most evolutional is Borland Delphi. With this exceptional tool on hand, I am starting to experiment with it. Compare with the old Turbo Pascal for Windows, it is now much easier to create a workable Windows program; also as time goes by, my experiences in Windows programming have also increased.

After months of experiment, learning and testing, I am starting to get on with Delphi and decided to write a new version of Fruits Fields, because I still like this game very much. After spending many many days and nights on redesign the graphics, coding, adding audio effects, and learning to create help files, I finally glued all these together and make this thing available to you - Fruits Fields version 2.01.

Fruits Fields v2.01 is much more like a game, it now features background MIDI music, in game sound effects, multi-players game saving ...many many more (see Requirements and Features). I hope you will like this game and enjoy playing it as much as I have created it.


Shareware Notice and Registration

Copyright:

This is copyrighted software owned by Leslie Tsang (here after the Author). This is release as shareware, and is NOT public domain or freeware. The Author grants you a limited license to install this software to your computer for EVALUATION purposes ONLY! You may use this software for evaluation for a liketime of 30 days. After that period, you must register or stop using it. You are encouraged to register if you feel the game is interesting and play it frequently.

Registration:

To register Fruits Fields:

1. print and complete the Registration Form, return to the Author (see Word from the Author about how to contact me) along with US$15 (or HK$100) registration fee for each copy, or

2. if you are a CompuServe member, register online in CompuServe by 'GO SWREG', the SWREG registration code of Fruits Fields is #6437.

Upon recieving your registration form, the Author will send you the followings:

1. a registered copy of Fruits Fields with your name compiled into the game

2. an additional 50 more challenging levels (make up a total of 100 levels!)

3. an level editor that let you design your own levels

NOTE: If you are also a shareware author, I accept registration by exchanging a registered copy of your product (preferably Delphi-related). Please contact me directly for details.

Disclaimer:

Fruits Fields is provided 'as is', without warranty of any kind, neither expressed nor implied. The author only guarantees that Fruits Fields and the associated files occupy diskspace. In no event will the author be liable to you for any damages, due to the use or mis-use of this software, including lack of sleep after continuous play, or increased short sighting after looking at the monitor too long with the game window resized to a very small size.

Distribution:

The Author allows and encourages all bulletin board systems, online services, shareware vendors, CD-ROM publishers and users to distribute the shareware version of this game as long as no files are altered or removed, and the file is identified as shareware.


What is Fruits Fields?
What is Frields Fields?

Fruits Fields is a cute little puzzle (IQ) game for Windows. During the game, the player (you) control the main character NIC using the mouse or keyboard (see Playing the Game). The goal of the game is to collect all the Fruits in every level (field) and proceed to the next.

Does that sounds too easy? It is not! In fact, this is a highly challenging game that test your mind and IQ. While you are collecting the fruits, there are obstacles to block your way to success, they are the Arrow Blocks. The Arrow Blocks are special objects that can only be moved or destroyed in certain ways (see Game Rules); and if not handled well, they can make our hero NIC (that means you) stuck!

Be warned, once your start playing and get used to it, I am sure you will be addicted. The game features some very nice MIDI music, sound effects, bonus picture after every level, dynamic resizeable window, game scoring... and many more! Besides, there are totally 100 levels (50 in unregistered version) with increasing difficulties awaiting to challenge your mind! Why wait? Go start the game now!


Files and Customizations

Files:

FFIELDS.EXE	the main Windows executable program file

FFIELDS.HLP	this Windows help file

FFIELDSn.BMP	after-level picture files

FFIELDSn.MID	background music files

LVLPASS.WAV	sound effect for level passed

HARVEST.WAV	sound effect for harvest fruit

FFIELDS.INI	this file will be created in your Windows directory

NOTE: Only one bitmap file FFIELDS0.BMP is included to reduce the size of the archive.

Customizations:

Many data files comes with Fruits Fields are standalone files and you can customize them to your liking provided that anything other than the original archive are not given away to the others. The game can be customized in these ways:

1, use your own .BMP files to replace the FFIELDSn.BMP files, so that the picture of your choice will be displayed after every level pass. For example, to change the after-level picture of level 1 - 10, replace the FFIELDS0.BMP file by yours; for level 11 - 20, replace the FFIELDS1.BMP file ...and so on. The picture can be photo of your friends, your family members, or even any R- or X- rated pictures you obtained from somewhere! This can increase your fun during gameplay.

2. use your own .MID files to replace the FFIELDSn.MID files, so that the songs of your choice will become the background music of the game. The files are choosen randomly during the game. If you are professional in music, you can even compose your own and use them with the game!


Requirements and Features

Requirements:

- Any MPC compliant IBM PC or compatibles computer

- DOS and Windows, or OS/2, or Windows NT, or Windows 95

- A Windows compatible sound card (optional)

- A Windows compatible MIDI card (optional)

- Keyboard or mouse

Features:

- Unique 'Dynamic Resizeable Game Window '

- Smooth Animations

- 16 and 256 color modes

- MIDI Background Music

- Sound Effects

- Display Bonus Picture after passing each level

- Multi-player Game Saving System which remember player name, level and score

- Top Ten High Score Board

- Custom Cursor

- User adjustable Game Options

- An Informative About Box

- Scoring System to let you compare with your friend who is better


Installation and Running

To install the game, please follow these steps:

1. Create an empty directory (e.g. FFIELDS)

2. Unpack the game from the archive FFFW201.ZIP into the above directory

3. Start Windows and open the Games group

4. From the File menu, select New...

5. select Program Item then click on OK

6. Enter ' Fruits Fields' in the Description field

7. Enter the path to FFIELDS.EXE in the Command Line field

    (e.g. C:\WINAPPS\GAMES\FFIELDS\FFIELDS.EXE)

8. Click on OK

Now a new Fruits Fields icon will appears in the Games group

Running the game:

1. Make sure your MIDI Mapper is setup correctly for your sound card

    (for example, if you're using Sound Blaster 16, you should set MIDI mapper to "SB16 All FM").

2. Double-click on the Fruits Fields icon to run the game


Playing the Game

Start playing a game:

Once the game is running, an opening screen and the high score table appear alternatively. To start playing a game, click on New... in the Game menu. A New Game dialog box will appear, in which you can enter your name (if this is the first time you play) or select a saved game from the list. Click on OK to start.

Game controls:

Once in the game field, the hand cursor appears. Use the keyboard or mouse control our hero NIC, move him around, moving or destroying arrow blocks and collect the fruits, as below:

- To move NIC, click on the path to the direction where you want to move, or use the arrow keys

- To move or destroy an arrow block, click on the arrow block or press SpaceBar

- To collect a fruit, move NIC onto the fruit

- To call a menu function, press the Alt shortcut keys or select from the menu

How to play:

Control our hero NIC to collect all the fruits in each level and manipulating Arrow Blocks (see Game Rules). If you are stuck, select Retry from the Level menu (that will reset the score you gained in this level); if you want to bypass some levels and jump to a higher level (but that way you lose the score of those levels), select Jump... from the Level menu; if you want to exit the game, select Exit from the Game menu, your game will be saved automatically. The next time you play the game, you can select your name in the New Game dialog, and you will be placed at the start of the level you last played.

Game Scoring:

Breaking Arrow Block	    +5 marks

Collecting a Fruit	  +10 marks

Every step NIC Move	     -1 mark

Level passed	+100 marks


The Game Interface

The game window:

The game window is divided into 2 parts, the upper and larger part is the main game field, in which all actions takes place; and the lower part is the status line, which shows your current level, number of fruits left and the current score. The game window is also dynamic resizeable, you can resize the game window to any size or even maximize it, and the graphic will resize accordingly!

The menus:

Game menu

New...	Start a new game

Options...	Display the Game Options dialog box

Exit...	Save the current game and exit

Level menu

Retry	Retry the current level

Jump...	Display the Jump Level dialog box

Help menu

Contents	Display the help contents

Search for Help On...	Search the help index

How to Use Help	Display the help on help

About...	Display the about box


Setting Game Options

Select Options... from the Game menu, the Game Options dialog will appears as below:

The dialog box has hotspots! Click on the controls to see what it does!


Changing Game Speed
Speed Setting (Default: 5)

Change the speed of the game range from 0 to 9. The smaller the number, the faster the game.


Changing Color Mode
Colors Setting (Default: 16)

The game features both 16 and 256 colors graphics, and it default to 16 colors mode because on some combination of display card and driver, the 256 colors graphics will not display correctly. If you are sure that 256 colors graphics display correctly on your system,  use this setting to change the color mode.


Toggling Sound Effects On/Off
Sound Setting (Default: On)

There are sound effects when you collect a fruit or pass a level. If you do not have a sound card, or you are playing in the office, you can use this setting to toggle sound effects On/Off.


Toggling Background Music On/Off
Music Setting (Default: On)

There are background music throughout the game. If you do not have a MIDI compatible sound card, or you are playing in the office, you can use this setting to toggle background music On/Off.


Toggling Animation On/Off
Animation Setting (Default: On)

There are animations when breaking arrow blocks, collecting a fruit, and self-movement of NIC. This setting toggle animation On/Off.


Toggling After-level Picture On/Off
Picture Setting (Default: On)

Normally, the game display after-level pictures after each level passed. This setting toggle the after-level picture On/Off.


Toggling Picture Stretching On/Off
Stretch Setting (Default: On)

Normally, the after-level pictures are stretched to fit the size of the game window. However, on some combination of display card and driver, this may cause the color of the picture to distort. This setting allow you to toggle the stretch of picture On/Off.


OK Button

Confirm the changes and close the dialog box.


Cancel Button

Cancel the changes and close the dialog box.


Game Objects and Rules

Game Objects:

 NIC - Our Game Hero	 Wall - cannot be moved or destroyed

 Fruit	 Arrow Block - can be moved or destroyed

Game Rules:

Moving an arrow block:

       	1. nothing is in front of the block

2. NIC is at either position as shown

       	3. face the arrow block and push

The arrow block will move in its arrow direction, and stop until it hits something.

Destroying an arrow block:

1. something is in front of the block (except an opposite arrow block)

2. NIC is at the back of the arrow

3. face the arrow block and push

The arrow block will be destroyed and disappear in the field.

Un-moveable arrow blocks:

1. two opposite arrow blocks are in front of each other

2. in this case, both arrow blocks cannot be moved

3. also they cannot be destroyed

In this case, they will become un-moveable arrow blocks.

Stuck Condition:

1. un-moveable arrow blocks are formed carelessly

2. if there are some fruits inside, they cannot be collected

        	3. in this case, all you can do is to retry the level!

The key to the success of the game is to prevent the formation of un-moveable arrow blocks.


Troubleshooting

If the game does not start properly:

- make sure all the files are unpacked properly into an newly created, empty directory

- double check the pathname of the program is entered correctly with the icon

- ensure your Windows has enough free resources available. Fruits Fields is a graphic intensive game which requires about 5% of free system resources to run properly

- Make sure your disk is not out of space (Fruits Fields will create the file FFIELDS.INI in your Windows directory).

If the music or sound does not play properly:

- check that your system has the necessary sound card installed that is capable of playing MID and WAV files

- ensure your MIDI Mapper has setup correctly (for example, if you are using Sound Blaster 16 and want to play both background music and sound effects through it, you must change the MIDI Mapper setting to SB16 All FM).

- always make sure you have the lastest version of the sound driver installed

If the colors of the graphics are not correct:

- always make sure you have the latest version of the display driver installed

- check that your Windows is configured at the highest color mode your display card is capable of (for example, if your display card is capable of 16.8 million colors, set it to this mode)

- try to change the color setting of the game to 16 colors

- toggle the Stretch setting to off if the after-level picture is not displayed correctly


Words from the Author

Futher versions:

Though Fruits Fields version 2.01 is a significant upgrade to version 1.0, there are still ways in which I want to improve. The following is just some of them I planned in include in the next version:

1. an in-game level designer that let you design your level anytime

2. change the after-level picture to JPG format for saving disk space

3. multi-langual support (chinese version is planned)

4. sound effects that includes digitized voice

5. addition of monsters or power-up to add more variation to the game

6. support the option to play audio CD as the background music of the game

How to contact the Author:

If you need to contact me for anything (really! anthing is welcomed, including registrations, questions to the game, suggestions, comments, bug-reports, programming matters, or just to make friends), please write to me at the following addresses:

Postal Address:	Bank Accounts:

Tsang Chung Man,	HongkongBank:   067-7-037277

Rm. 1029, Wai Sum House,	Any BOC Bank:   036-721-1-011519-3

Lung Hang Estate,

Shatin, New Territories,	or send me a cheque of any bank in HK

Hong Kong.

CompuServe:	Internet:

100426, 2346	lesliet@hk.super.net

My BBS:

CX#04 Final Encounter,	6:700/364, 7:1010/634, 16:700/364, (852)2697-7107, SysOp: Leslie Tsang

NOTE: 1. Outside Hong Kong please send me an International Money Order payable in Hong Kong.

            2. Please address all cheque or money order to 'Tsang Chung Man ' (do not add Leslie)

Credits:

I would like to first thanks Jeff Atwood for his freeware About Box component for Delphi, and L. E. Brown for his MAKHLP package that enable me to create the help file with no prior experience. Thanks also goes to Wyatt Wong for his kindly help on gathering information about creating Windows help file.

I would also like to thanks my colleagues for helping me to test Fruits Fields version 2.01 during development and giving me valuable feedbacks. Finally, I want to thanks all the people who has given comments to version 1.0 of Fruits Fields.

Looking forward to hearing from you and see you again in the near future!


Registration Form

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FF - Fruits Fields version 2.01                                REGISTRATION

Personal Information :-

    Your Name   : _________________________________________________________

    Home Address: _________________________________________________________

                  _________________________________________________________

    City/Country: _________________________________________________________

    Phone Number: Voice: ___________________    FAX: ______________________

    Email       : Internet: ___________________   CompuServe: _____________

BBS Information :- (necessary only if you operate a BBS)

    BBS Name    : _________________________________________________________

    Node Number : _______________________      Opening Hour: ______________

    BBS Software: _______________________      Phone: _____________________

    Network Join: _________________________________________________________

Product Information :-

    What do you like most about Fruits Fields: ____________________________

    _______________________________________________________________________

    _______________________________________________________________________

    _______________________________________________________________________

    Any comments or suggestions: __________________________________________

    _______________________________________________________________________

    _______________________________________________________________________

    _______________________________________________________________________

How would you like to receive your registered copy?  (mark an [X] below):

    [ ] Mail to me by postal             [ ] Direct netmail to my BBS

    [ ] Send to me through Internet      [ ] Send to me through CompuServe

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